Legality of cannabis

The Politician Who Donates 90% of Salary to Charity

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No my American friends, surprisingly he is not from the United States. José Mujica, who donates 90% of his salary to charity, is the president of Uruguay.  He is known in his nation as the poorest president, ‘el presidente mas pobre.’

Hard to believe? It’s true.  He is the most generous president in the world, receiving $12,500 a month as salary, but only keeping $1,250.  According to Mujica, whose biggest expense and only personal asset is a $1,945 Volkswagen Beetle, he has enough.  He reminds those who inquire about his generosity that

“I do fine with that amount; I have to do fine because there are many Uruguayans who live with much less.”

Mujica is a former Rebel who believes that power does not come from the top, but from the hearts of the people. He is a vegetarian with no bank account and no debt, and his favorite thing in the whole world is “the companionship of his dog.”

Under the direction of Mujica, Uruguay has become known as one of the least corrupt countries in the world. His party has also taken strong steps to legalize personal use of cannabis in order to put an end to gang violence and to provide a safe and natural medicine to the people. Sounds like a sensible man with rational ideas indeed.

The Politician Who Donates 90% of His Salary to Charity

/ esfein / 1 Comment
patriotism

comunidad-uruguaya-peru.blogspot.com

No my American friends, surprisingly he is not from the United States. José Mujica, who donates 90% of his salary to charity, is the president of Uruguay.  He is known in his nation as the poorest president, ‘el presidente mas pobre.’

Hard to believe? It’s true.  He is the most generous president in the world, receiving $12,500 a month as salary, but only keeping $1,250.  According to Mujica, whose biggest expense and only personal asset is a $1,945 Volkswagen Beetle, he has enough.  He reminds those who inquire about his generosity that

“I do fine with that amount; I have to do fine because there are many Uruguayans who live with much less.”

Mujica is a former Rebel who believes that power does not come from the top, but from the hearts of the people. He is a vegetarian with no bank account and no debt, and his favorite thing in the whole world is “the companionship of his dog.”

Under the direction of Mujica, Uruguay has become known as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, ranking at #20 of 174 in 2012. His party has also taken strong steps to legalize personal use of cannabis in order to put an end to gang violence and to provide a safe and natural medicine to the people. Sounds like a sensible man with rational ideas indeed.

 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Mujica

Yahoo News: “Poorest President” Donates 90% of his Salary

Washington Post: The Most and Least Corrupt Countries in the World (2012)

http://www.beetle.com/int/en/home

https://wondergressive.com/2013/01/10/ticks-are-turning-people-into-vegetarians-for-life/

https://wondergressive.com/2012/09/25/dogs-can-predict-earthquakes-by-hearing-them/

https://wondergressive.com/2012/10/12/uruguay-to-legalize-marijuana/

Uruguay to Legalize Marijuana

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Uruguay is strongly pushing to pass a law that would allow a state monopoly on the production and distribution of marijuana. This would make Uruguay the first nation to sell cannabis to its citizens directly.  The government claims that it is an attempt to end violence and ensure that cannabis users have a safe and regulated product. The new push is being led by the newly elected regime lead by Jose Mujica.

According to Sebastian Sabini, the president of the parliamentary commission:

“We’re putting this forward as international policy.  The war on drugs has failed. There are more consumers and more violence. Uruguay is opening up a new path.”

Uruguay is predominantly interested in separating cannabis from hard drugs like cocaine and heroine as they believe by doing so less people will become addicted to the hard drugs.

The United Nations is concerned because the law is a breach of the 1961 convention on narcotics, but the Uruguayan government stresses that the global war on drugs has utterly failed in every way.  Why continue obeying a decision if it is only making things dramatically worse?

Interestingly, marijuana legalization activists are labeling the move as totalitarian and urging the government to also legalize home cultivation.  Additionally, Uruguay has stated that it will still be a illegal for foreigners to purchase cannabis as they do not want to create a country fueled by drug tourism.

Uruguay, like countries all around the world, has recognized that the current global policies on drugs have allowed governmental corruption, gangs to become more powerful and force people to look for cheaper, more widespread, albeit far more dangerous sources of drugs.

The world is long past due for a drastic change.

For more information on the war on drugs check out this international debate on the war on drugs hosted by Google+ with insight from generals, leading spokespeople, former presidents of Latin American countries, former celebrity drug addicts, United Nations representatives, and more.

New Report Urges Decriminalization of Drugs in Australia

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A large amount of reports are being made urging the decriminalization of cannabis and ecstasy in Australia  in an attempt to tackle the problem of drug addiction.

Advocates, including current high power politicians, have advocated that prohibition and law enforcement has failed, and that treatment must be set as the main priority.  Decriminalizing cannabis and ecstasy will separate these drugs away from harder, more seriously health and life threatening substances.

The reporters also stated that the move would not be in any way radical as over 15 nations around the world have done the same thing, or are considering it.

The effects of decriminalization on the health and safety of the populace, as well as on addiction numbers is proven to be positive. 

Time to jump on the progressive bandwagon Federal United States Government?  Maybe?

 

Federal Judge Urges Legalization of Marijuana

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Richard A. Posner, a widely respected federal judge, legal conservative, and the most cited judge in America has called for the legalization of Marijuana and changes to other drug laws.  Graduating as valedictorian from Yale, Posner has been called a genius by his contemporaries and even has classes devoted to his rulings.

Judge Posner was given a round of applause when he said that “I don’t think we should have a fraction of the drug laws that we have. I think it’s really absurd to be criminalizing possession or use or distribution of marijuana, I can’t see any difference between that and cigarettes.”

He continued to point out the senselessness of using punishment over treatment.  He commented that “using the criminal law as the primary means of dealing with a problem of addiction, of misuse, of ingesting dangerous drugs — I don’t think that’s sensible at all.”

He also reminded the courts that legalizing marijuana and other drugs “would save federal, state and local governments $41.3 billion per year.”

He believes the drug laws are a waste of legal minds and a waste of, at the very least, moderately productive people’s lives.